New Hampshire third healthiest state in nation

Thursday

Dec 13, 2012 at 3:15 AM

CONCORD — The State of New Hampshire received a third-place ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia today by the Trust for America’s Health in their report A Call to Action for Individuals and Their Communities.

The report looked at various health indicators, such as obesity and smoking rates, and ranked all the states based on the data.

Last year New Hampshire was ranked second, and in 2010 the state was also ranked third. Some of New Hampshire’s strengths are a low sedentary lifestyle rate, a low incidence of infectious disease, and a low rate of children in poverty. New Hampshire has also seen a decline in the infant mortality rate from 8.4 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 4.4 in 2012 and a decrease in the number of smokers.

“We are lucky to be living in such a healthy state,” said Public Health Director at DHHS Dr. Josť Montero, “but there is more work to be done. Our obesity rate continues to climb and we can do better on our cancer and diabetes rates.”

The report looks at a wide range of indicators including cardiovascular disease deaths, preventable hospitalizations, immunization coverage, and air pollution levels. Then the scores are calculated to determine an overall ranking. While the percentage of Granite Staters who smoke has been steadily decreasing, the number of those who are overweight or obese has been climbing dramatically since 1990.

“It is extremely important to maintain a healthy weight,” Montero said, “and to be physically active for overall health. Diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, arthritis, sleep apnea, and other diseases are directly linked to poor diet, excess weight, and lack of exercise. With the New Year we should all make a resolution to eat a healthier diet and move more. Even small changes, such as eliminating sugary beverages and walking 15 minutes more a day, can have a big impact.”

To read the entire report, go to www.healthyamericans.org. For more information about any of the issues addressed, visit the NH Department of Health and Human Services website at www.dhhs.nh.gov. For tips on getting healthy, visit www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/nhp/obesity.htm.